In the sermon titled 'Satan's Throne Defined' by Scott Brown, the concept of 'Satan's throne' from Revelation 2:13 is explored. The sermon delves into the nature of Satan's authority and power, referencing various scriptures and theological works such as 'Satan Cast Out' by Frederick S. Leahy and 'Spiritual Warfare' by Rob Ventura and Brian Borgman. Brown emphasizes the importance of building a doctrine of the devil based on scriptural truths rather than fictional ideas. He highlights the balanced approach advised by C.S. Lewis, warning against both disbelief and excessive fascination with devils. The sermon examines the devil's character through his names, such as slanderer, destroyer, and adversary, which reflect the kind of throne he occupies. Brown discusses the devil's influence on individuals and nations, citing examples from biblical accounts like the afflictions of Job and the Gadarene demoniac. Despite these influences, the sermon reassures that Christ's preeminence defines the limitations of the devil's power. Christ's victory at the cross disarmed Satan, and his authority ensures that Satan's attacks ultimately strengthen the church. The sermon concludes with the assurance that Satan's throne is under God's control, as evidenced by biblical prophecies of his defeat and the role of holy angels in God's governance.

Please open your Bibles to Revelation chapter 2. I want to read verse 13 to set the stage for this time here, Revelation 2 13. I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is, and you hold fast to my name and did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipas was my faithful martyr who was killed among you where Satan dwells." So This is a church as we saw earlier today where Satan's throne is, where Satan dwells, and the question I'd like for us to answer through a number of places in scripture is what does it mean that Satan has a throne? What kind of throne is this? What kind of authority does he have?

And what kind of powers does he have? How strong is he? What kind of throne are we talking about here? And if you have an outline in front of you, you can see the five points that I plan to cover in this whole discussion. Now, to prepare for some of the things that I'm going to say, I referred to two books primarily.

One was a book called Satan Cast Out by Frederick S. Leahy and the other Spiritual Warfare by Rob Ventura and Brian Borgman. Those are really good books from different perspectives. The Spiritual Warfare book by Rob Ventura and Brian Borgman is really helpful because it's a description of how to put on the full armor of God. The other is a broader, the book Satan cast out is a broader theological discussion about the devil and how we relate to this one who has some authority in the world.

Now, in Robin Tur and Brian Borgren's book, Spiritual Warfare, they identify some of the false teachings on the subject, and they list things like demon-possessed Christians, formulas for exorcism, binding the devil, rebuking demons, you know mapping you know the devil's locations and things like that. Things that the scripture makes no mention of at all. We should build our doctrine of the devil from the Word of God, not from fanciful ideas that somebody made up because for some reason. We, I think we need to think in a balanced and judicial way about the works of the devil. C.S.

Lewis I think communicated this idea very well. He said, there are two equal and opposite errors and to which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe and to feel an excessive unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and they hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.

So I think that we need to make sure we don't fall off of one or the other side of the horse when we deal with these things and what allows that is the Word of God. So I want to begin to speak about his throne by describing different aspects of His character and his work and I want to begin with the names the names of the devil Really betray what kind of throne? He sits on He is called the devil which is slander. He's called a Polly on which is a destroyer. He's called Belial, which means worthless.

He's called Satan, which means adversary. He's called Beelzebub, which is the Lord of the Flies. He's called the Serpent of Old in Revelation 20. He's called the Dragon in various places. In John 8, he's called the murderer from the beginning.

In Jude 6 we learn that he's in revolt and that he abandoned his proper abode. In 1st Thessalonians 2, 18 we learn that he does have the ability to hinder the saints. He literally broke up the road before the Apostles. He afflicts saints. Even the Apostle Paul was afflicted by Satan with a thorn in the flesh.

He impacts nations, we learn that from Daniel, the prince of the power of Persia. He afflicts men's bodies under God's permission. We learn that in the book of Job. Job 1, 14-17 shows that. So in order to understand his throne, you should understand what he's all about.

And those names tell you what kind of throne it is. When you see things happening in the world, it's easy to recognize where they come from. And the names of the devil really betray that. So secondly, the works of the devil actually explain how he operates and I want to walk through a number of these explanations but these explanations give us a sense of what it means that he has some power in this world. Well, from Luke 8.30, we learn that his demons sometimes gang up on people.

We learn that from the story of the Gadarene demoniac. Jesus asked him, saying, what is your name? And he said, legion, because many demons had entered him. And then, of course, the demons are begging Jesus not to send them out into the abyss. We also in Matthew chapter 13 verse 28 we learn that he wreaks havoc in the church by planting foreign plants that the Bible calls tears.

The tears are sewn among the church by the evil one. That's very clear in Matthew 13. Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? He said to them, An enemy has done this." So the enemy actually sows tares in your church.

They show up every once in a while. The Apostle Paul speaks of this and where you have men rising up from among you who act like wolves in your church. Also I think we need to recognize that they hate man and they are opposed to everything that's good. In Luke chapter 13, 11 you find this really beautiful story of the woman who had an infirmity for 18 years bent over. I don't know if you've seen people just severely bent over and they can't walk straight.

That was this woman for 18 years and the Lord Jesus healed her. She could not raise herself up and the Lord Jesus says woman you know be loosed from your infirmity and then the Lord speaks and he says he says that this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has bound it was Satan that caused that physical problem in her life. 18 years, and she was loosed on the Sabbath, which happens to a lot of people, they get set free on the Sabbath. In contrast, Jesus is going about doing good, and he's delivering the oppressed from the devil in Acts chapter 10 verse 38. We see a beautiful example of that.

He's going around doing good, healing the oppressed. And we also learn that the devil does afflict with certain ailments and I don't know how this happens but when we do have physical ailments we shouldn't just exclusively be materialists we should ask is there anything spiritual going on? This is the whole point in James 5. If someone is sick you call the elders of the church and there there there may be a sin in that person's life that is causing it. So when somebody comes to the elders to ask for prayer to be anointed with oil, we always ask is there any sin that could be the root of this.

We have to ask that question because it may, a repentance may be the relief. Of course we know that it's not always that way I don't think we should just presume there's always sin in your life we know there's sin in the world from the fall that's why our bodies go haywire But that's not the same thing as a direct sin. If you're, if you have pains you should always ask is there anything in my life that I need to repent of and turn away from. And I have heard stories of people who've been delivered from physical ailments when they repented of their sin. So you know that's Satan buffeted Paul in that way.

We see the the hindrance of missionary activity through the devil in 1 Thessalonians 2.18, Paul said that he wanted to come there to the Thessalonians. He said, even I, Paul, time and again, I wanted to come, but Satan hindered us. And that's the whole idea of breaking up the road. There were conditions that the devil created that made it difficult for the missionary effort to proceed. But here's one thing we know.

Satan's attacks strengthen the church. He might get his licks, but his licks don't get him where he wanted to get. And in 1st Peter 5, 8, you know, we read those familiar words, be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And then he says that, you know, well, you've suffered, You've suffered for a little while. At the same time, God was perfecting, establishing, and strengthening, and settling you.

So, when Satan comes about like a roaring lion, it really works for the perfection and the establishment and the strengthening and the settling of the church. So we shouldn't be afraid because God uses his attacks to strengthen us. We don't need to be afraid at all. So there you have it. These are the ways that he operates.

So let's turn next to Christ's preeminence and domination of the devil because his domination his authority his preeminence defines the limitations of the devil and I think that's why CS Lewis wrote what he did We shouldn't think too much of the devil and we shouldn't think too little of the devil either. But what Christ has done helps us to think rightly about him. Now Satan's doom began in the garden. Interesting his warfare began in the garden but his doom was declared in the garden in Genesis 3 15. And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel." He's speaking it to the devil and what he's what what the Lord is saying is that the devil will be wounded, bruised in the head and be destroyed.

This is a prophecy of the destruction of the devil from the very beginning. So the devil's defeat was prophesied right at the beginning and that should comfort us. Also it's very clear particularly from Colossians 1 16 that Christ is preeminent over all dominions over all principalities and all powers I'll read it to you Colossians 1 16 For by him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth. He created the principalities. He who created the principalities is governing the principalities.

He continues on. Whether visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things. And in him, all things consist. And he is the head of the body the church who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might have preeminence.

In other words the devil might be able to mess with the church but somebody is in authority over him. You can always have confidence in that. You never need to be afraid. The one who is the first and the last, the one who is the creator and the controller of all dominions, and I think that means all earthly dominions and all invisible spiritual dominions. Jesus Christ is in authority.

He is an absolute authority over the works of the devil. Colossians 2 9 and 10 says a very similar thing. For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in him. Now get this right after he says you are complete in him. In other words you have everything you need.

You have all the forgiveness and all of the access to the Spirit of God you need. You are complete in Him. Then He says, Him who is the head of all principality and power. In Ephesians chapter 1 verse 21 We see some further language that helps us understand the greatness of this power and the word exceeding greatness is used. I'll read it.

Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. And he has put all things under his feet and gave him to behead over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. This is the authority of the Church of Jesus Christ. The church actually has a kind of authority over the devil. We also learned that all the angels are subject to Christ.

All the angels, the fallen angels, and the holy angels are all subject to Christ. 1st Peter 3 22. Speaking of Christ, he has gone to heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to him. So all this to So all this to say that the works that Christ's preeminence and domination of the devil must be in our whole doctrine of demonology. We should think of the devil according to his place that he is in.

And then we also must say, and this is the fourth point on your outline, the ultimate overthrow of the devil took place at the cross. It was prophesied in Genesis 315 and it took place at the cross and and then it will it will be vanquishingly completed when the devil is thrown into the lake of fire. So Let's walk through some of these things. In John chapter 12, particularly in verse 31, of course this is in Gethsemane and the Lord is speaking to his father And we read these words, now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

If I am lifted up from the earth will draw all peoples to myself. This he said signifying by what death he would die. Now this is really important to catch the sequence here that he is going to his death and at his death the ruler of the world the devil will be cast out and as a result he will draw all men to himself. So those three things. So you have you have sort of that de-fanging of the devil and that You know that neutralization of his power causes the evangelistic enterprise to succeed.

And the Lord Jesus Christ's death on the cross opens the door that people will be saved from every tongue and tribe and nation. The fact that you see people being saved is evidence that Jesus Christ has disarmed the devil and cast him out. That's evidence of what God has done to the devil is when someone is being saved. Also Christ's incarnation's purpose was to destroy the work of the devil. That was the whole reason he came.

In 1 John 3, 8, who is he who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Jesus Christ came to live in men's hearts to destroy the works of the devil in them. So It's the purpose of his coming was to disarm the devil and literally to destroy his works. God is out destroying the works of the devil all over the place.

You can't see it. We do still see a lot of the works of the devil, but believe, but here's one thing you need to recognize. God is continuing to destroy the works of the devil in millions and millions of people. All over the world. That's what he's doing.

He's unraveling the defilements, the patterns, the foolishness in our lives. And he's promised to do it until we die. It's so wonderful. But the incarnation has its purpose to destroy the works of the devil. In Colossians 2.15 we encounter you know this this word disarmed and I think that's an important word to understand what his throne is all about.

This is a disarmed throne. That's what it is. Having disarmed powers and principalities, he made a public spectacle of them triumphing over them on the cross. He made a public spectacle of the devil belittling the devil God is always belittling the devil devil by the way you know that in fact God set the devil up to be belittled and he said have you considered my servant Job come on He did that to belittle the devil. The devil's proposition was, Job only worships you because he's the richest guy in the whole world.

Of course he worships you. You made him rich. God says, think again, we'll find out. And the devil is belittled because he's been disarmed. So, you know, in a very similar way that first John 5 speaks of destroying the works of the devil Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15 speak in a similar way in as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood he himself likewise shared in the same this is the incarnation that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject of bondage.

So here we have this picture of death and the devil being compared, that he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is the devil. So whatever throne and authority this is, the Lord has destroyed him by destroying death. You know death, the Bible says, is the last enemy to be destroyed. And when Jesus Christ destroyed death on the cross, he destroyed the devil at the same time. That's what kind of throne it is.

That's his power. It's just really important that we understand what this throne is, what it looks like, what it does, and where it sits in terms of the authority that exists in the world. In John 14 verse 30 we learn that the devil has no power over Christ. Jesus says I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me. In other words he has he has no power at all over Jesus Christ.

He also has no power at all over the children of Jesus Christ. None. Also the devil is already judged. In John 16, 9 and 10, we read this he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment of sin Because they do not believe in me of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more of Judgment because the ruler of this world is judged. So whatever throne it is, it's judged.

There's no hope for that throne at all. It's judged. It's disarmed at the cross. You know, what does that mean? I mean, what kind of power does the devil have over men?

Very little. It's very interesting that one of the evidences of this is when the Lord Jesus Christ turns men from darkness to light. In Acts chapter 26 verse 18 verse 17, I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send to you to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me." So the powers of the devil have been destroyed. They've been destroyed. No need to fear the devil.

The devil. I'm gonna read a statement by the theologian F.F. Bruce. He's talking about Christ's mastery over the works of the devil and the devil himself. He grappled with them and mastered them stripping them of all the armor in which they trusted and held them aloft in his mighty outstretched hands displaying to the universe their helplessness and his own unvanquished strength.

There's your devil, there's your throne. You need to think about that throne, you need to think about that devil the way that the Bible describes him. So the cross confirmed the bad news that was delivered to the devil in Genesis 315. He knows that his days are numbered. He is a vanquished foe.

He is an imposter. He's a liar and he is a deceiver. And even even when he offered the Lord Jesus all the kingdoms of the world he was a liar he didn't have those kingdoms those kingdoms were not his he was a boastful lying imposter when he did that. In Luke chapter 11 verse 20 it says that he's cast out by the finger of God. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 12, 29.

How can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house? The whole point is Jesus Christ is stronger, he's the strongest. Let me quote William Hendrickson commenting on Revelation 20, verses one through three. William Hendrickson has a fantastic commentary on Revelation. I highly recommend it.

Here's what he says. He's speaking of Revelation 20. I'll read the text and then I'm going to give you a paragraph of his commentary. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.

After these things he must be released for a little while. Hendrickson, we conclude that also here in Revelation 20 the binding of Satan and the fact that he is hurled into the abyss To remain there for a thousand years indicates that throughout this gospel present gospel age Which begins with Christ's first coming and extends nearly to the second coming, the devil's influences on earth is curtailed so that he is unable to prevent the extension of the church among the nations by means of an active missionary program. During this entire period he has prevented from causing the nations, the world in general, to destroy the church as a mighty missionary institution. He's bound. He will not destroy the church.

It is not going to happen. In Jude 6 we learn that the devil and the demons are chained forever. Remember that story in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress? It's a great section. A Christian is fearful.

He's stricken with terror because he sees two lions And two of the characters, Mistrust and Timorous, they turned back. They were so afraid, they went the other direction. But Bunyan tells us, and I'll quote him, the lions were chained. And they didn't see the chains, cuz the devil is chained. And you might not think he's chained, you might not see his change, but he's chained.

Just like he was depicted in Pilgrim's Progress. Also the Lord is using the church to demonstrate his wisdom to the devil, to the powers and principalities. We find this life in in the Church of Jesus Christ, Why? To the intent that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church To the principalities and powers in the heavenly places according to the general purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. You know when the church gathers together and the church sings praises to God and the people love one another and they feast together and they pray together and they care for one another, the powers and the principalities are being shamed and God is using that to display how stupid they are to reject God.

So what we do here is a testimony really to the angels and a testimony to the devils, to the holy angels and the devils, that Jesus Christ is so good. You know every time we move together in the Word of God The powers and the principalities are put on notice What we're doing right here They're being put on notice and they see a unified people becoming holy and it's belittling them and shaming them and they know that their days are numbered. That's the kind of throne this is. It's a terrified throne. Now Satan also must have permission to do anything, anything that he does.

He has to have permission from God. In Job 1 we see this in a number of places. The final end of the devil is communicated in several places in revelation probably seven times in Revelation in seven cycles of Instruction I'll read a part of one of them in Revelation 12 1 through 7 and war broke out in heaven Michael in the ark and the Anas angels fought with the dragon and the dragon and his angels fought But they did not prevail nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer So the dragon was cast out that serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth and his angels were cast with him. So the devil has no power over you, he didn't have it over Job.

He has no power over you he didn't have it over Job he has no power over you he didn't have it over Paul the permission had to be granted by God the great authority had to be consulted before his works were done in the world. And then finally, God's good angels, they are compensating forces in the world. You have this terminology that describes the holy angels. They're called elect angels in 1st Timothy 5 21. I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice doing nothing with partiality.

So you have these elect angels they do not need deliverance they do not need the cross they do not need the blood of Jesus Christ. The holy angels never fell and they don't need salvation the way that we do. These angels guarded the entrance to paradise in Genesis 3 24. They look upon the mercy seat in Exodus 25 20 in Psalm 103 verse 20 we learned that they they obey the Lord these angels obey the Lord They are known as the host of heaven. They're known to rescue people who were in big trouble like Lot.

They escorted, two angels escorted Lot out of Sodom, held his hand to get him out of that city because of God's mercy. They're intelligent, they excel in strength. Read Psalm 103. Angels behold the face of God and observe the saints. In Matthew chapter 18 verse 10, we read these words, take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my father who is in heaven for the Son of Man has come to save that which is lost.

So you have angels that behold the face of God and your face at the same time. Does this mean that there's a particular guardian angel for every Christian? I'm not confident this teaches that. Here's what I am confident, that angels do protect God's people. There are angels, at minimum an angel, watching over the Saints all the time.

Right now we don't see them. The Bible says that some have entertained angels and didn't know it. So these are the good angels. In Psalm 103 they exercise his will. They affect the affairs of nations in Daniel 10.

They watch over particular churches in 1 Corinthians 11 10 and 1 Timothy 5 21. They assist believers like they did with Elijah. They brought him food. They assist believers like they did with Elijah. They brought him food.

They assist believers like they did with Daniel when God sent an angel to shut the lion's mouth. How about that? These lions were ready to devour Daniel and the angels shut their mouth. Praise God. You're never alone.

You're never vulnerable because God is controlling all the powers and the principalities. I think that Hebrews 1-14 makes it clear that every Christian is watched over by angels they announced the birth of Jesus they announced the resurrection of Jesus they observed the Ascension of the Lord Acts chapter 7 verse 53 in Galatians 3 19 says that angels delivered the law They saw the agony of Gethsemane. They were present at the resurrection Remember the young man there's an angel a young man sitting on the sepulcher when the women came in there. They know the time of the second coming. They are called mighty angels.

And they will be present in the final judgment with the Lord. Robert Haldane, there were two victories to be obtained over Satan. By the first his head was bruised under the feet under the feet of Jesus Christ and by the second the rest of his body will be bruised under the feet of believers." So there was a sentence of death that was announced in the garden and it was executed at Calvary. So one of at Calvary. So one of the authors that I read said that we fight a mortally wounded foe.

One author wrote this, the binding of Satan is so real that he has no authority or power over the Christian. In Christ, the believer is safe and victorious. The wicked, quote, the wicked one toucheth him not. First John five, 18. The Lord is the lion of the tribe of Judah.

He divides the spoil with the strong. He is mighty God. He is going out conquering and to conquer. And nowhere, nowhere in scripture is Satan depicted as victorious. Nowhere.

He is under authority, he's under domination, and There is a great king over all the earth He's the king of nations. He's the ruler of the kings of the earth and he controls everything so I'll just close with this having recognized the blows against Satan. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4 for greater is he that is in you and he that is in the world. So brothers and sisters, you don't need to fear that throne.

That throne is under control, the control of God for his own glory. Would you pray with me? Father, We're just so thankful for your government of the world. It's such a good government. We praise you that these thrones stand in subservience to your throne.

You are such a good king. And we praise you for the holy angels that you've deployed and the authority that they have and that you have over the works of the devil. We thank you for working to destroy the works of the devil in our hearts. We're so appreciative of your kindness to come to us in our state and to help us. Amen.